A civil rights activist, Femi Falana has called on professional bodies to mobilise their members to obtain their permanent voter’s cards and use their large population to elect the right persons that would move Nigeria to her promised land.
Falana said this at the 14th Annual Distinguished Lecture organised by Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) held at Muson Centre recently in Lagos.
The programme tagged: ‘Professionals in Partisan Politics: Appraising their Roles in Envisioning Economic Growth and Development of Nigeria,’ brought together professionals, lawyers, government representatives, and youths from across the country.
He said that for Nigeria to have a new crop of leaders that have proven records of probity, integrity, and accountability, professionals must not stay aloof but register to participate in the next year’s general election.
He noted that Nigeria is currently in trouble and it is high time professionals get organised to take over our country from money bags politicians who are corrupt and self centred.
He stressed that professionals should take a cue from the way young people are mobilising themselves to register for their permanent voter’s card through creative means because of their interest in a new Nigeria.
He noted that Sir Herbert Macaulay, who was a foremost nationalist in the movement for Nigeria’s independence was a Quantity Surveyor, adding that today many professionals have continued to exhibit a lackadaisical attitude to politics and governance in Nigeria.
Falana posited that we cannot leave politics to charlatans who cannot be accountable to anyone for their performance in public office.
He went further to urged the institute to set a disciplinary committee that will monitor the performance or otherwise of members in public office and anyone found wanting in his or her work will be brought to book.
He said that institute such as NISQ should report members who are involved in infractions in their duty to the anti graft agencies so that we can move forward as a country.
Falana said that there are no successful cases of corruption in public and private spaces without the involvement of professionals, stressing that professionals should begin to face the music for aiding corrupt practices.
In his words, the President of the NIQS, QS Olayemi Shonubi charged members to continue to promote integrity and accountability in both public and private sector.
He noted that the task of building our nation is not for people in government alone but all of us. Let us re-establish the foundation of honesty and integrity which are definite path to greatness.
He stated that professionals must rekindle the patriotic spirit and work toward making Nigeria great again.
The Nigeria Lawyer
